Dr. Tope Aluko, an enstranged associate of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has denied claims made by the Ekiti State Governor that his election campaign was funded by the Zenith Bank Plc.
Dr. Tope Aluko, while speaking yesterday, revealed that Fayose’s election was funded by the presidency through the office of the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki and some oil contractors.
In a statement released, Dr. Aluko said: “Before the primaries of March 28, 2014, funding came from the Presidency only. After the primaries, various individuals, banks, corporate organisations registered with token amounts (so as to play along).
“But after the elections, contractors came in with funds to solicit for patronage. The current Secretary to the State Government was secretary of Fayose’s campaign organisation while a member of the state assembly representing Ekiti South II, Mr. Awodumila was treasurer.
“We know as a party that there was no record of Zenith Bank sponsorship of our elections”.
Aluko further added that Fayose was not financially buoyant before the election as his personal account could not boast of up to N10 million.
“In fact, he sold one of his houses in Ghana and showed me the cash in the trunk of his white Lexus Jeep at his private residence in Afao Ekiti. The recently mentioned funds are the funds he is using within his accounts in the banks”
The former head of the Ayodele Fayose Campaign team also opened up on the Governor’s connection with Abiodun Agbele, who is now in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He said: “On August 22, 2014, Agbele paid in N50 million cash and another N118.706 million into Fayose’s Account No. 1003126654. Agbele also paid N49 million cash into Spotless Account No. 1010170969 on June 17, 2014 (four days before the election).
“On August 4, 2014 when Fayose became governor-elect, he deposited the following amounts in cash himself -N40 million, N36 million, N35 million, N24 million, N20 million and N14 million, totalling N170 million in one day.
“So Zenith Bank gave him these funds to lodge in his account with the bank after becoming the governor-elect? So which election was the bank sponsoring?
“The questions are many because Ayo Fayose was already governorship candidate and governor-elect during this period and Zenith Bank could not have been sponsoring him from their bank and using aircraft to bring cash from Abuja/Lagos to Akure.”
He further added: “Ayo Fayose was sworn-in on October 16, 2014. By January 30, 2015 he made cash deposit of N145 million into the account of De-Privateer Limited and also on April 18, 2015 he paid cash of N70 million into the same account.
“The N300 million fixed deposit no. 9013074033 in April 2015 from Abbey in Ayo Fayose’s name can’t be from Zenith Bank but from ONSA/Dasuki for presidential campaign and presidential election.
“These funds were used to purchase choice properties in Abuja, Lagos and Dubai through other banks in Ekiti which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is working on.”